Donna Summer - Mistaken Identity +Album Reviews

Listen To It Again, This IS a Great CD

KRA | East End of LI | 04/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mistaken Identity took many people by surprise as it featured many new sounds for Donna. Yet this album shows the full spectrum of Donna's unmatched vocal and style range. Songs like "Get Ethnic", "Body Talk" and "What It Is You Want" are far more "urban" than anything that she ever recorded since "Bad Girls". However her signature sound is not lost here either as tracks like "Work That Magic", and "Fred Astire" are made for the clubs. Rounding off this CD are the great ballads "Heaven's Just a Whisper Away" (later recorded by Regina Belle), "Let There Be Peace" , and the CD's best cut a heartfelt tribute to her hardcore fans "Friend's Unkown". I can't think of another orginal song ever written to top this one. If this CD took you aback the first go around, rediscover it, you may find yourself loving it."

MISTAKENLY UNDERRATED

archie | Genoa,Italy | 06/09/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of Donnas best albums. Period! Early in the 90s she tried to update her style and explore urban music and other street sounds and I guess she scored big with it,though most critics and fans got confused and disappointed. We all would better reconsider and listen to tracks like GET ETHNIC, BODY TALK and the gorgeous anthemic WHAT IS IT YOU WANT. Go listen to her acapella rap at the end of the song: PURE BLISS!-@"

Way Overlooked

M. Mendenhall | Phoenix AZ Rocky Ford CO | 10/18/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When Summer came out with this collection, the forces of fate left her unable to do any promotional work - zero. Mistaken Identity was overlooked by almost everyone. The underground dance scene jumped on it, but the mainstream ignored it. The mainstream missed out.Side one boasts an almost flawless set of aggressive dance music, far beyond the mechanical anonymity of Another Place and Time. Summer, always best when deeply involved in her projects, gets lots of songwriting credit. Get Ethnic showcases Summer's clear command over her vocal prowess; it's one of her more aggressively sung tunes. Summer lets herself venture into her bygone specialty - global blends of rock, soul, alternative and dance. Body Talk follows. Again, Summer wraps her vocal power and finesse around an otherwise so-so song. Work That Magic is a breezy pop infected dance track with an irresistible verse, and When Love Cries returns Summer to the sensual falsetto (I Feel Love, Love To Love You) that first mesmerized the world.Some were put off that Summer so blatantly updated her sound; but they miss the point that she did it well. Possibly the two most interesting - not necessarily the best - songs come at the end. What Is It You Want is a flawed house track that doesn't quite work. However, it also boasts some of the rawest Donna Summer belting recorded. Really exposes an earthy side to Summer when she's obviously having some serious fun. And then, Cry of a Waking Heart is an off the beaten path dance track with an alternative bent to it. Beautiful piano over a hypnotic beat. Real fans will recall Grand Illusion from The Wanderer. This one's in that vein but far more complex and melodic. The whole mix results in a great Donna Summer recording that was fatefully bypassed by those who might enjoy it the most. Worth the purchase."

Another soulful Summer

Nse Ette | Lagos, Nigeria | 12/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"'Mistaken identity' was Donna Summer's second urban album (the previous being the 1982 Quincy Jones produced 'Donna Summer') and was an attempt at incorporating current trends in black music. Unfortunately, it was given a wide berth by fans especially as they had excitedly embraced her return to Eurodisco two years previously with the Stock Aitken Waterman produced smash hit 'Another place and time' album.

This, however, wasn't a reflection of the music, which was good and well sung (produced by the late Keith Diamond), just that people wanted Donna singing dance/disco only.

Opening track 'Get ethnic' kicks things off with screaming rock guitars, African talking drums, and a powerful vocal performance from Summer.

'Body talk' had a driving new jack swing beat, great sax all over, and playful, teasing vocals from Summer.

The catchy 'Work that magic', and the kooky but fun 'What is it you want' (the latter with razor sharp synths and drum machines working overtime, and a killer accapella outro) were the two lone dance tracks on the CD.

Lead off single 'When love cries' found Summer cooing seductively in a 'Love to love you baby' style falsetto to a sparse bassline, Soul II Soul beats, and even had a little rap bridge. This was the lone single to crack the Billboard Hot 100. In a similar vein is the ethereal, new age sound of 'Cry of a waking heart' which features a dazzling keyboard solo. One of the standouts on this CD.

'Fred Astare' is classic Summer; slow ballad intro leading to a funky upbeat dance song with bouncy synths and lyrics about wanting to be Ginger Rogers to your Fred Astare.

Title track 'Mistaken identity' is a synth/drum machine driven funk/dance number inspired, Summer says, by the Rodney King incident. The lyrics tell the tale of some blonde blue eyed lady falsely accused, hence the blonde mane and cropped upper half of Donna's face on the CD cover, but there's no mistaking those famous features. Similar to this is 'Say a little prayer'.

Then there are the ballads; The acoustic 'Heaven's just a whisper away' (with passionate vocals from Summer), her thank you to her fans in 'Friends unknown', and the Gulf war inspired 'Let there be peace' featuring an awesome backing choir and fiery vocals from Summer.

An underrated gem in Summer's brilliant repertoire which I'd urge anyone to discover."

Stunning Vocal Performance

Keith E. Donnelly | Pittsburgh, PA USA | 03/18/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mistaken Identity showcases Donna Summer's extreme versatility. From rhythm and blues urban songs, dance tunes, pretty ballads or jazzy pop stylings, she hits it out of the park with this CD. Too many people who gave this work negative reviews would prefer that she sing nothing but disco and dance music. I have no real problem with the Another Place And Time CD except that she sings the same song over ten different times which is typical of a Stock, Aitken, Waterman opus. Whether they have Kylie Minogue, Rick Astley, Jason Donovan, Hazell Dean, Bananarama or Donna Summer singing their songs, everything is extremely formulaic and utterly predictable. Not so with this CD. Heaven's Just A Whisper Away and Friends Unknown are stunning vocal performances, Work That Magic and Fred Astaire really make one want to get up and dance and the rest of the songs show what a marvelous vocalist Miss Summer really is. You can pick this CD up really cheap either on Amazon or EBay. Get a copy!!"

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